Variable Wheel-Frame Mobility Vehicle for Narrow-Space Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobility vehicles face challenges with fixed wheel positions, leading to difficulties in navigating narrow spaces and increased rollover risk at high speeds due to unadjustable intervals between wheels and the body part.
Innovation Solution
A mobility vehicle design that allows adjustable intervals between wheels and the body part through variable frames and a steering system, controlled by a controller, enabling dynamic adjustment of wheel positions to accommodate various environments and obstacles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the mobility vehicle is manufactured with relatively large gap between the wheels and the body part, then it can navigate narrow spaces more easily, but the risk of rollover accident increases when traveling at high speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the wheel positions adjustable rather than fixed. The variable frame structure allows the wheels to be positioned at different distances from the body part, enabling the vehicle to adapt its configuration dynamically. When entering narrow spaces, the wheels can be positioned closer to the body part for stability, and when navigating tight spaces, the gaps can be reduced for better maneuverability, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
2Reliability
If the mobility vehicle is manufactured with relatively small intervals between the wheels and the body part, then the rollover risk is reduced, but it encounters difficulty when entering narrow spaces such as elevators or hallways
Solution Approach 1:
The variable frame mechanism enables dynamic adjustment of wheel positions, allowing the vehicle to switch between configurations based on operational needs. When safety is the priority, the wheels can be positioned closer to the body part to reduce rollover risk. When entering narrow spaces, the system can adjust the wheel positions to minimize the overall vehicle footprint, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of wheel-to-body distance from a fixed value to a variable parameter that can be adjusted. This parameter change allows the vehicle to optimize its performance for different scenarios: reducing the interval for improved safety and increasing it for better maneuverability in narrow spaces, thereby resolving the technical contradiction.
3Ease of manufacture
If the positions of the wheels are fixed relative to the body part, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the intervals between the wheels and the body part cannot be adjusted for different environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the wheel assembly from the fixed body structure by introducing a variable frame as an independent movable component. This segmentation allows the wheels to be positioned relative to the body part through the variable frame mechanism, providing adjustability while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process. The segmented design enables the wheel system to adapt to different environmental requirements without requiring complete redesign of the vehicle structure.
Solution Approach 2:
By introducing the variable frame mechanism, the patent transforms the static wheel positioning system into a dynamic one. This adds adaptability to the vehicle, allowing wheel positions to be adjusted for different environments such as narrow spaces or high-speed travel, while the overall manufacturing process remains relatively simple compared to completely customizable systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A mobility vehicle includes a body part, a movement part, and at least one variable frame. The movement part includes a wheel configured to move the body part, and a steering region configured to rotate the wheel about a steering rotation axis relative to the body part and steer the wheel. The at least one variable frame is configured to connect the body part and the movement part, move relative to the body part in a guide direction intersecting the steering rotation axis, and change a spacing distance between one region of the body part and the movement part.